Full Marks
a Harry Potter story
by vignette
"Right," began Sirius, as he slung he satchel down and settled himself against a tree nest to the lake. "What are we going to study first?" Seated opposite him, Remus shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't mind," he said, rubbing the tip of his nose, absent- mindedly with his index finger. "You choose." Sirius peered into his school bag, running a finger along the spines of the assorted, little-used textbooks that lay inside.
"I think..." he mused, holding his head to one side as if in deep contemplation. "I think... potions!"
"Thanks, Sirius," Remus groaned. "Pick my worst subject to begin with." Sirius grinned playfully.
"Well, the more you practise..." he replied, sarcastically.
"Oh, just test me already!" Remus retorted, rolling his eyes melodramatically. Sirius laughed and flicked through the book.
"Ok, Mr Lupin, of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, your starter for ten is... What are the ingredients for a simple regenerative draft?"
"I know this!" said Remus. "It's one large hellebore root, chopped finely; and handful..." Remus paused and scrubbed harder at his nose. "Where was I? A handful of knotgrass, then add six teaspoons of... hih...Hehhitschhh!" he sneezed, violently. "Siz drops of lavanduol oil, half an ounce of st... heh...sitr...hih...hihtschuhh!... of stimartion petals, finely gr...ground... Hihitchuhh!"
"Give up, Remus." Sirius told him kindly. "You've already left out the St. John's wort."
"I told you we shouldn't study outside," Remus said. "I can't concentrate when I'm sneezing so much."
"We'll be able to concentrate even less in the common room," Sirius replied. "The younger ones never shut up -- don't appreciate that some of us have important exams this year." Remus raised his eyebrows.
"You're actually worried about your OWLs?" he asked, amazed.
"Course not," Sirius answered, a little too quickly to be convincing. "The first years just irritate me, that's all. Anyway, I thought you wanted to revise." Remus sniffed hard.
"I do, it's just I'm not going to get very far listing ingredients if I'm stopping every five seconds to... Hihhtishhh!"
"Point taken," Sirius replied. "Ok, let's move on to... Charms. A little more immediate, all right?" A sigh from Remus seemed to indicate his assent to the change of plans. "Get your wand out then," Sirius instructed. "We'll start simple. First question; perform the correct incantation and wand movement for a levitating charm."
"What am I levitating?" Remus asked.
"Oh yeah... er... my charms book," Sirius replied hurriedly. Remus focused on the book and flicked his wand neatly.
"Wingardium Levi... Hihh-ishhuhh!" A shot of blue parks flew towards Sirius, who deftly rolled out of the way. The sparks fizzled as they hit the tree trunk, leaving a telling scorch mark. There was silence for a second. "Excuse me," ventured Remus nervously, sniffling and reaching into his pocket for a handkerchief.
"Bless you," said Sirius, panting slightly from his unexpected dive.
"I told you it was hopeless," Remus said, his voice muffled by the handkerchief he held over his nose and mouth. "Hhchumff!" Remus blew his nose lightly and removed the handkerchief. "My allergies are always worst this time of year," he said, dejectedly.
"Poor Moony," said Sirius, sitting down beside Remus and wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "I won't make you do any more work," he promised. Remus shook his head.
"We need to study," he persisted. "I actually want to pass a few of these exams."
"Then there's something you can test me on," Sirius conceded.
"Oh yes?" Remus asked.
"A technique I've been practising for some time now."
"Really?"
"Yeah, and I want to make sure I get it exactly right." Sirius leaned in and kissed Remus softly on the lips. "How was that?" he whispered, drawing back slightly.
"Mmm... think I'm going to need to try it again," Remus replied softly. Sirius kissed his for longer this time, nibbling slightly on his bottom lip, teasing playfully with his tongue. Pulling away he asked;
"So... marks out of ten?" Remus opened his eyes, revealing a amused glint within them.
"Oh, I think about six out of ten," he told Sirius, smoothly.
"Six out of ten!" Sirius yelled in mock anger, pushing Remus backwards into the soft luscious grass. Both of them were laughing now, as Sirius straddled the helpless Remus who lay sprawled on the ground. "I'll give you six out of ten!"
"Oy, Sirius, get off me!" Remus gasped, paralysed by fits of laughter. He wriggled, pretending to fight of the boy above him, but the pollen in the grass was beginning to do its work; Remus's nose twitched. "Really, Sirius," he told him, more insistently. "I'm going... hih... to... ihh... snee -- Hihhischhh! Ihhtischuhh!" Struggling, Remus rolled on to his side, an action which sent Sirius tumbling off his. Clumsily, Remus propped himself up on his elbow to raise his head out of the grass. "Hhtishhuhh! Hhhtishhh! Ihhitschhh!" Sirius pulled himself up right and leaned over Remus's shoulder.
"Remus, are you all right?" he asked, a hint of concern slipping into his voice.
"Do I...Hihtishuhh!... sound all right?" Remus replied, gasping between sneezes.
"Ok, let's get you sat up," Sirius said kindly. He slipped his arms underneath Remus's and gently lifted him into a seated position, so that Remus's body was leant against his own. "Good job you're still skinnier than me," Sirius joked.
"Hihh...ihh... Hihtishhhuhh!" Remus sneezed, his head jerking forwards, throwing his brown hair over his eyes. He sighed and leaned back against Sirius.
"That all of them out?" Sirius asked, letting his finger trace the outline of Remus's cheekbone. Remus looked up at him with wet, red- rimmed eyes and nodded.
"Can we go inside now?" he begged. "Otherwise I won't stop sneezing before the exam."
"Of course," said Sirius. "Anything you want."
"I need a shower," Remus groaned, turning to face Sirius. "My eyes itch from all the polled in my hair." He raised one hand to rub at them but Sirius stopped him.
"Don't, Moony," he warned. "It'll only make it worse." He smiled and planted a gentle kiss of Remu's lips.
"You know I was only joking earlier," Remus said dreamily. "I'd always give you full marks." They held each other gaze for a moment, as the sunlight made their eyes sparkle and the background become hazy. "Hihhchmff!" Remus sneezed into his sleeve.
"Nice way to break the moment there," Sirius joked.
"Your fault," Remus replied, sniffling. "You've got pollen in your hair too."
"Guess I'll have to take a shower as well then," Sirius said mischievously, as he replaced the books in his bag. Remus stared at him, not understand his tone. Then, as the realisation dawned on him, he groaned.
"Padfoot..."
"What? It would be uneconomical not to share..."
OWLs are approaching and Sirius and Remus decide to take their studying outside. Unfortunately, not much work gets done... Notes: Inspired by studying in the gardens at school before my AS Levels. My sessions were not nearly so much fun though... Thanks to everyone who said nice things about my last story -- hope I've done all right with this one too!